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Beth Winkler Price collection

 Collection
Identifier: 14-01-02-004

Scope and Contents

This collection contains biographies, newspaper articles, programs, dance cards, certificates, diplomas, photographs, yearbooks, dresses, and framed art pertaining to the life of Beth Winkler Price.

Dates

  • Creation: 1909 - 1985
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1920 - 1935
  • Other: Date acquired: 2012-2017

Creator

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Biographical or historical information

Beth Winkler was born March 23, 1909, in Mt. Pleasant, Utah to Ernest and Venetia Proctor Winkler. She was raised mainly in Ogden, Utah, where her father worked for the U.S. Forest Service. She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 2, 1919, shortly before her 10th birthday. She is credited with getting her mother to be baptized, also. Her sister, Ella, said, "When Beth was baptized, she told Momma she couldn't be baptized unless she was, so mother and Beth were baptized at the same time into the Church."

Following high school, Beth attended Weber College in Ogden and was elected student body vice president. She was active in drama and played the lead role in the school play. She was chosen Acorn Queen (similar to Homecoming queen) in 1927. While at Weber she met Raymond Price. Each year the school held a girl's choice dance. As an officer, she felt a responsibility to lead out and announced she would get Ray Price to the dance. (He didn't date or dance at the time.) Ray wrote in his biography that it wasn't all Beth's doing because he had a plan and had made a special effort to learn the path she followed on her way home so as to be sure they met. Ray wrote in his biography, "She had a special smile, and everybody liked her. When she smiled, it looked like she closed her eyes. But, I found out later, they were not closed; she didn't miss a thing!"

Following Weber, Beth attended the University of Utah for most of one year, and earned her Junior High School Teaching Certificate and was named the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi. She returned to Ogden and taught in the junior high schools. Beth and Ray were married October 1,1931, in the Salt Lake Temple following Ray's graduation from the U of U. They honeymooned traveling to the Great Basin Experiment Station of the U.S. Forest Service (located several miles up Ephraim canyon in central Utah) where Ray was then employed. They spent winters in Ogden, where their first son, Richard, was born in 1936.

The following winter, they moved to Washington D.C., where Ray continued his work with the Forest Service and the next year attended Yale University. Beth gave birth to her second son, Gifford, on February 26, 1941. During this time, she served as a counselor in the Primary and in the Relief Society, as well as teaching literature in the Relief Society at church. In July 1942, they moved to Tucson, Arizona, where Ray was appointed Acting Director of the Southwestern Forest and Range Experiment Station. Later, he was appointed Director. Beth served in many church leadership positions and stayed at home with Richard and Gifford while they were in grade school.

In 1953, Ray's office was transferred to Fort Collins, Colorado. Richard attended Colorado A.M. in Fort Collins. Gifford was in seventh grade. Beth was her sons' avid supporter. Because Ray traveled extensively, Beth frequently served as both father and mother to her sons. In 1971, after Ray's retirement, Beth and Ray moved to Washington State when Ray was called to be President of the Washington Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Beth served as his companion as she had done during the years Ray had served as stake president in Colorado. Despite her many commitments and her outward appearance of good health and positive attitude, Beth suffered privately from a chronic and limiting arthritis, which ultimately necessitated her having hip surgery. They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 4, 1974, following their mission. Ray died April 28, 1985, just as he and Richard and Gifford were preparing to give Beth a blessing prior to her planned hip surgery. This caused her surgery to be delayed until October. Approximately 10 days following her surgery, she also died on October 30, 1985.

Extent

11.40 Linear Feet (1 full Hollinger box, 1 half Hollinger box, 3 flat boxes, and 1 coroplast box)

Language of Materials

English

Physical Access Requirements

There are no physical access restrictions.

Technical Access Requirements

There are no technical access restrictions.

Custodial History

Material was acquired from Richard Price (2012-011, 2017-004).

Method of Acquisition

Received from Richard Price, 06/04/2012 and 01/20/2017.

Accruals and Additions

No accruals are expected.

Related Materials

The biographies of Beth Winkler and Raymond Price (her husband) are available in the Institutional Repository, Stewart Library, Weber State University. Raymond Price: A Personal History, call number Archives CS 71.P75 1985. Biography of Beth Winkler Price by Richard R. Price, Additions by Gifford W. Price, call number Archives CS 71.P753 2016.

Publication Rights

Materials may be used for non-profit and educational purposes. Please credit the University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University. Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University. archives@weber.edu

Author
Michael Thompson
Date
2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Weber State University Archives Repository

Contact:
3921 Central Campus Drive Dept 2901
Ogden UT 84408